Mercy
by Dorminchu
Summary: "It's kill or be killed." Flowey, Frisk, and the climax of the Genocide route. (Edited for maximum accuracy as of 6/18/16!)


a/n: Fandom blind, but I've watched the Genocide ending and I really liked Flowey and his speeches. Happy Halloween!

 **edit 6/18/16: Fixed a ton of continuity errors, added a little more detail to weaker paragraphs. Hope it reads more clearly.**

* * *

New Home is empty, but that's how you expected it to be. You welcome yourself inside and someone's name resonates in the silence of your own mind.

Asriel.

That was then, you think. This is now.

You're in a gray room. You know it's yours. Used to be. It doesn't feel like home.

There are two boxes wrapped in red ribbon. You open the one closest to you and reach inside, startling at the sting of metal against your fingers. You pull your hand out and realize it's a kitchen knife. You also realize you've cut yourself. You'll worry about that later.

For now, the knife is cool and solid in your hands and you exhale softly, squeezing the handle. From the moment you stepped forth into this place, this is the first time you truly feel at home.

There's another gift box by your feet. Open it. Take the locket inside. Put it on. Feel that pulse against your skin like a tiny clockwork heart. Check your reflection in the dusty mirror and you're satisfied.

You leave the room.

The voice comes from nowhere, light and chipper, and you know it intimately.

"Howdy, Chara!" says Flowey in your mind. "You finally made it home. Remember when we used to play here?" Laughter. "Today's gonna be just as fun."

You walk out of the hall and down the stairs and out of the Ruins—an aging apartment complex—into a tunnel. And Flowey is still talking.

"I remember when I woke up for the first time. I was so scared. I couldn't feel my arms or legs. 'Mom, Dad! Somebody help!' I cried." His pretty face twists into a sneer. "But nobody came. And eventually the King found me in the garden, crying. I explained what had happened and he just held me, Chara. He held me with tears in his eyes and he told me: 'There, there. It's going to be all right.'"

A pause.

"He was so…emotional. But I…I didn't feel anything at all. I soon realized I didn't feel any _thing_ about any _one_. My compassion had disappeared! And believe me, it's not like I haven't tried to feel something. I wasted weeks with that stupid King, vainly hoping I would feel something. But it became too much for me. So I ran away. And eventually, I reached the Ruins. And inside I found her, Chara. And I thought: Of all people, she can make me feel whole again."

You wait for his revelation.

"But she couldn't, of course."

Hollow laughter.

"Yeah. I realized they were both kind of useless, so I became despondent. I just wanted to love someone again. I wanted to care about someone. Chara, you might not believe this, but…I decided it wasn't worth living, anymore. Not in a world without love. Not without you."

Flowey smiles.

"So, I…I decided to follow in your footsteps. I would erase myself from existence, and you know what? I almost succeeded."

Keep walking.

"But as I left this mortal coil…well, I started to feel apprehensive. Because if you don't have a soul, what happens when…you know. Something primal started to burn inside me. No, I said. I don't want to die! And then I woke up. Like it was all a bad dream. I was back in the garden. At my save point."

You're tired of his voice, of his feigned emotion, his theatrics just for your benefit.

"I was intrigued. So I experimented, brought myself to the brink of death over and over. At any point, I could have let this world continue on without me. But as long as I was determined to live, I could go back." He smiles. "Amazing, isn't it, Chara? I was amazed too. At first, I used my powers for good. I became friends with everyone. I solved all of their problems, flawlessly. Their companionship was amusing…for a little while. But as I repeated my life, they never changed. What would this person say if you gave them this item, told them this, didn't win that mini-game? They were all the same, every time. That's all they are."

Out of the tunnel, onto a bridge. There are no guardrails. A city lies beneath you. Everything is still.

"I was curious. So I killed one of them. I didn't like this, I reminded myself. I just did it because I HAD to know what happened."

His face contorts into a sneer.

"HA, HA, HA! What an excuse. You of all people must know how liberating it is to act this way. At least we're better than those sickos that stand around and watch it happen. You know. Those pathetic people too afraid to do it themselves. I bet someone like that is watching us right now, aren't they…?"

You keep walking.

"But even that's grown tiring. You understand, Chara. I've explored every single possible outcome this world has to offer. I've read every book, I've burned every book. I've won every game, I've lost every game. I've appeased everyone. I've killed everyone. I've read every scrap of coding, every line of dialogue. But you're different. I never could predict YOU. I thought I could frighten you, and steal your soul."

The grimace returns.

"I was wrong. And when I tried to reload my save file, it didn't work. Because, Chara. Your WILL to LIVE was somehow greater than mine!"

He calms. You're almost there.

"I just have one question for you, Chara. How'd you get back to the Ruins from here?" Pause. "Wait. I know. She must have helped you. Obviously she decided a proper burial was better than rotting away in the basement forever, but…what made you wake up? Did you hear me calling to you?"

His voice falters, almost hopeful. You hate him.

"But it doesn't matter. I'm so tired of this, Chara. I'm tired of all these people and all these places. I'm tired of being a flower. So come on. Let's finish what we started. Let's free everyone, and then they'll see what humanity is REALLY capable of! That no matter what happens, it only comes down to who will kill, or be killed."

You fantasize about how you'll slit his stupid face open and watch the dust spill out, like splitting a beanbag. Maybe rip off his petals. Something like that, you're too irritable to think about vengeances.

"And afterwards? Well…" He grins. "I've been entertaining a few ways to use that power." Flowey snickers, quickly sobers. "But seeing you again changed my mind, Chara."

You aren't listening to him anymore. You're tired of it, too.

"We don't need to leave to get them this time. The King has six of them locked away. I've tried so many times to get him to show me how to find them, but he just won't." He smiles. Manipulative adoration. "But Chara…I know he'll do it for you."

Two can play this game, you think.

"You might wonder why I'm telling you all of this. Chara, I said it before. After all this time…you've always understood me." The grimace returns. "You won't give me any worthless pity! Creatures like us wouldn't hesitate to KILL each other if we got in each others' way. So that's…"

He stops. Falters. The frown returns. He's shivering.

"Aah…huh. What's this…feeling? Why…why am I…shaking?"

He giggles nervously.

"Uh. Hey, Chara. No…No hard feelings about back then, yeah?"

You smile.

"Hey…maybe I've, uh. Changed my mind about all this. Yeah. This isn't a good idea anymore. Y—you should go back, Chara. This place is fine the way it is!"

But you're still walking. You're still smiling. You're very calm.

"S—stop making that face!" he shrieks. "This isn't funny! You've got a real SICK sense of humor!"

Have I hurt your precious feelings, you think. Oh, Flowey, you can dish it out, but can't take it back.

You turn and step into the chapel. Light pours in through the windows. Sunset. You do not know where it comes from, and it does not trouble you. You root around for some items in the deposit box. Save your progress.

And there's someone waiting for you, haloed in the orange-yellow light.

"Heya," croaks Sans. "You've been busy, huh?" He stares at you. You stare back, impassively. He sighs. "So, I got a question for ya. Do you think even the worst person can change? That everybody can be a good person, if they just try?"

You take a step forward. You're not afraid.

Sans chuckles hoarsely. "All right. Well, here's a better question." His eyes are hollow. "Do you wanna have a bad time? 'Cause if you take another step forward…you are REALLY not gonna like what happens next."

You're still not afraid. You take that other step and Sans's body seems to sag a little.

"Welp," he says. "Sorry, old lady. This is why I never make promises."

You wait.

Sans speaks first.

"It's a beautiful day outside," he muses. "Birds are singing. On days like these, kids like you…" He pauses. Your shoulders stiffen instinctually. When he looks up his sockets are hollow again and this time, something runs up your spine."…should be burning in hell."

It's spoken so quietly you have to concentrate to hear it. And he strikes so quickly that you don't even think about the words that are leaving his empty skull as you leap off of the bones that burst from the ground and erupt from the pillars and zoom through the air with punishing precision, 'til you're hanging on by a thread, panting wildly, and Sans grins a hollow grin. "Huh. Always wondered why people don't use their strongest attack first."

So you're smarter than your brother? you ask.

Even from this distance, you see the spark of bright blue in Sans's eye.

And the battle begins.

You lose count of how many times it takes you to beat Sans.

He's strong. The strongest enemy you've fought so far, definitely. Stronger than you, maybe.

But you need to win. He's resigned. Weak. And you have the one thing he doesn't, and it fills you with _determination_.

You try and try and try again.

He can't keep this up forever.

And when you finally drive the knife through his jacket and it comes out red, you feel nothing.

You walk down more gray halls and staircases and your heart races. Into the throne room.

You see the back of Asgore and the sunlight streams in through circular windows from the ceiling.

"Curious. I've never seen a plant…cry before."

He turns.

"Oh. You must be the one that flower just warned me about."

Rage fills you. How could you, Flowey?

Asgore falters. "Erm. What kind of monster are you?" You are seething with hatred. "Sorry, I cannot tell." He sighs. "Well, we can always—"

NO.

The battle starts and you see the fear in his eyes.

"Now, there's no need to fight. Why not settle this over a nice cup of tea?"

Hate blinds you. You strike first and you strike with all the violence in your tiny body. He never sees it coming.

"Why…" he rasps. "You—"

You smite him.

And Flowey pops out of the void.

"See? I never betrayed you! It was all a trick, see! I was _waiting_ to kill him for you."

Coward.

"After all, it's me! Your best friend."

He's simpering.

"I'm h—helpful. I can be of use to you. I puh—promise I won't get in your way, I can help. I can…ah." You raise your knife and he shrinks away but he can't run. "Please don't kill me," he begs. You feel nothing but fire in your veins and the pounding of your pulse.

You cut. Cut, and he crumbles like wet paper. Cut until he stops existing.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes. Open them and you are calm.

There's another child before you, with sickly pale skin and red eyes and short-cut hair. The tresses are a few shades lighter than your own. Its clothes are green where yours are blue, yellow instead of pink. It steps forth, and you fade into the background. The new child looks up at the dark sky and smiles.

Hello, it says. My name is Chara. And thanks to you, I was saved. With your determination and human soul, I was given a purpose. We eradicated the enemy together. Well, you played the cards against them, so I guess I owe you one.

You know that rush you get when you win a battle? Gain a level, find a new item? That's me. It's always been me.

The child turns to address you.

But we're reached The Absolute, now. There's nothing left. So let's erase this pointless world, and move onto the next one.

It's a choice. You think about it. And then you decide you're not done here.

The child blinks.

No…? You must have misunderstood. SINCE WHEN WERE **YOU** THE ONE IN CONTROL?

And it's laughing. And you rot from the inside. And it laughs and laughs and laughs and you start to laugh too. You can't stop. Your breath is mirth and your lungs scream and your chest is aching and you need air but you're howling like a wild animal and blood comes out of your mouth and nose and eyes and agony bursts within your very veins and you scream with mirth and then the child reaches for your throat—

—back in the throne room.

And Asgore is dead. And Flowey is begging for his life and this time you raise the knife and drive it into the ground before him.

He squeaks. You don't smile. You don't say anything.

Eventually he stops cowering and looks at you in amazement. In fear, and then it morphs into disappointment.

"…Why, Chara?" he asks you. "Why?" His face contorts into a mask of fury. "WHY? We were on our way to REAL VICTORY. On our way to making up for LAST time. Why'd you have to SCREW IT UP?"

He already knows why. You deserve this. And he deserves it, too.

"Hahah…is this your way of getting revenge? Acting all noble and pure, while I just…?"

He's sad again. Then his spite returns.

"No. NO. I KNOW what you're doing. You just want to see what it's all like, before we TEAR IT ALL AWAY from them."

He can't believe it, can he? That you could be so cruel. After all this time, all his admittances, he's as blind as the rest of them.

"Genius, Chara," he congratulates you, chipper. "Well, I'll let you mess around. Because I know you'll come back eventually. And when that time comes…." He grins. "I'll be waiting for you."

And he pops back into the ground.

And you smile.


End file.
